Eric Bischoff Reveals Dennis Rodman's Original WCW Pay

This week on the after show for his 83 Weeks podcast, After 83 Weeks with Christy Olson, Eric Bischoff discloses the huge paycheck he wrote to Dennis Rodman for the NBA star to appear in WCW. Eric also admits he encouraged Rodman and rival player Karl Malone to ignite their kayfabe feud on camera during the 1997 NBA finals. Plus the former Raw GM praises Torrie Wilson, following the announcement of her WWE Hall of Fame induction, and recounts Jay Leno’s surprising reaction when he pitched The Tonight Show segment with Hulk Hogan.

The total fee was just a little over $1 million, like a million and change. But that was for a number of different appearances. It wasn’t just for one appearance. I know that sounds like a ton of money, and it is a ton of money…But in the big scheme of things you know, Mike Tyson probably got three times that much. Other performers in WWF get much, much bigger numbers. And I knew, the math I did going into that negotiation, as I said a few minutes ago I had a number in my head, because in my mind getting Dennis Rodman would create a certain amount of buzz that if I had to pay for would probably cost me three times that much money...The press that I knew I would get from that I really wouldn’t even be able to buy.

Admits he encouraged Rodman and Karl Malone physicality at the NBA Finals, before the two were set to face off in WCW:

I got ahold of Dennis through his manager at the time, Dwight Manley. I said look, nothing during the game. I don’t want to be accused of screwing up a game, be it playoffs. But if there’s any chance when you guys are kind of in between, or if you’re off court you know near the court there’s cameras running, if you guys could like push and shove each other a little bit, you know kind of raise the heat, raise the temperature just a bit. I wouldn’t be disappointed if something like that were to happen. I’m not telling you to do it! I’m just telling you if something were to happen like that, I’d be pretty happy about it.